Major newbie LAN question

could I play games on LAN with someone by connecting the two computers with an ethernet cable?

You can but you will have to use a crossover cable and statically set your connection info.

What about more than two computer? Is a router the usable to connect, for examle, four players?

If you want to do that you'll need a network hub or switch. They cost around $10 and allow you to network multiple devices. You'll still need to configure network settings on each machine. There are alternatives out there that can publish IP addresses and the like so all you need to do is set your PC to auto connect however it's just as easy to set this up from the Pc itself.

If you want to do that you'll need a network hub or switch. They cost around $10 and allow you to network multiple devices. You'll still need to configure network settings on each machine. There are alternatives out there that can publish IP addresses and the like so all you need to do is set your PC to auto connect however it's just as easy to set this up from the Pc itself.

Chickan_117

He shouldn't have to worry about NAT if he just wants a local network. It's when he starts wanting to access the internet as well that he's gonna start needing that but it'll likely be built into his modem/router anyway.

He shouldn't have to worry about NAT if he just wants a local network. It's when he starts wanting to access the internet as well that he's gonna start needing that but it'll likely be built into his modem/router anyway.

Chickan_117

[QUOTE="Chickan_117"]

If you want to do that you'll need a network hub or switch. They cost around $10 and allow you to network multiple devices. You'll still need to configure network settings on each machine. There are alternatives out there that can publish IP addresses and the like so all you need to do is set your PC to auto connect however it's just as easy to set this up from the Pc itself.

JigglyWiggly_

Connect a ethernet to your new and old mobo, the one with q6700. Its got auto-crossover detection. All gigabit NIC's support it.

I think you're thinking of something to provide DHCP servers not NAT.

Nat is used for communicating between different network of incompatible IP ranges. For example, my local addresses might be 192.168.1.1 thru 192.168.1.10 but, if I wanted internet access, these addresses wouldn't work for me because it's an incompatible subnet. Now, say I had an internet connection. My modem has the public IP address 203.39.215.202 which allows it to "talk to the internet". It has a local IP address of 192.168.1.1 so it can talk to computers on my local subnet. NAT is the process of modifying the IP headers so that packets sent out over the public IP will be able to find their way back to the right source machine.

DHCP is a protocol used, among other things for assigning IP addresses to devices seeking them. So he has two options (assuming he doesn't want to share internet which I assumed based on his initial query of networking two Pcs via ethernet port).

1. Set IPs statically on each device
2. Have a device on the network that provides the DHCP auto config service so devices don't need to be set manually.

I advised option 1 as it seemed easier and cheaper.

That's what I'm saying. He wud have to set it manually with just a switch and no router. To GTR, if that's true, that's probably the easiest way to go, never tried it myself.JigglyWiggly_

Try it with your new laptop you got, hopefully soon they'll add auto-DHCP as well.

Woah, how do you guys know so much information about routers, and networks, and ip adresses, and stuff.

I would like to learn more about this. Where can I obtain such knowledge?

Woah, how do you guys know so much information about routers, and networks, and ip adresses, and stuff.

I would like to learn more about this. Where can I obtain such knowledge?

PandaOfWonders

I highly suggest that you don't do this retail, it will cost you way more..

I suggest you get it online, I can get 50ft Cat6e Ethernet cable for under $10 including shipping (amazon.com), you will be hard pressed to find it at that price retail.

Amazon you can probably get all you need for about $40-50.